Centennial college is Toronto's No. 1 community college. It offers lots of full time and part time programs including diploma, degree programs & also offers co-operative programs. Students of Co-operative programs can gain practical field experience with their college studies.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Centennial College’s Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship, officially known as Automotive Service Technician Canadian Tire MAP 32, teaches students who want to be automotive service technicians and wish to work for Canadian Tire — a company that’s progressive and offers many business and opportunities across the country. Ideally, these students should already be employed at a Canadian Tire store. This, however, is not a necessity.

Mandatory of all Automotive Service Technician apprenticeship applicants is having completed at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or GED or equivalent. For this automotive service technician apprenticeship, candidates may apply directly to Centennial College. As space in the program is limited, acceptance is based on successful completion of all entry requirements. Successful applicants must obtain an employer and then register as a MAP apprentice with the Apprenticeship Branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Apprenticeship programs, such as this Automotive Service Technician training, are different from post-secondary programs as they’re very focused on a curriculum that is province-wide and offers students what they need to become licensed technicians. Additionally, training is more in-depth and in-school sessions are longer than traditional apprenticeships.

Once they are accepted, students enter a unique program, whose tools and equipment is sponsored by Canadian Tire — making it a one-year automotive service technician training collaboration with Canadian Tire and its Associate Dealers, which employ 58,000 people and have 482 stores from coast-to-coast.

The program works by seeing students receive automotive service technician apprenticeship training for 32 weeks and then heading out for four weeks of on-the-job experience with their employer. The in-school sessions cover courses such as Work Practices and Procedures, Engine Systems, Drive train Systems, Steering, Suspension & Brake Systems; Electrical, Electronics & Feul Systems and more. These courses are facilitated from Ashtonbee Campus. As one of four Centennial College campuses, Ashtonbee is the largest transportation training centre in the province. Its mock dealership environment is perfect for enhancing the education of Automotive Service Technician Apprentice students. Students enrolled in MAPs may be eligible for EI (employment insurance) during the in-class training.

Meanwhile, the four weeks of on the job training gives students the opportunity to face real life scenarios, apply what they have learned, network and gain insight into the industry from seasoned professionals.

Those who successfully complete this automotive service technician apprenticeship will be employed by Canadian Tire, which offers customers a large selection of national and retail brands through three specialty categories in which the organization is the market leader — automotive parts, accessories and service; sports and leisure products; and home products. Also offered are automotive services such as engines fixes, brake changes, windshield wipers and fluid level checks, and muffler, hose, belt and plug replacements.